Microsoft has discontinued its Surface Studio 2+, marking the end of the company's only direct competitor to Apple's iMac, leaving a gap in the Windows ecosystem for high-end all-in-one PCs.

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First introduced in 2016, the Surface Studio formed an attempt to challenge Apple's hold on the creative professional market. Its standout feature was a 28-inch 4.5K PixelSense touchscreen mounted on a unique hinge that allowed the display to tilt into a flat, drafting-table position. Paired with accessories like the Surface Dial and Surface Pen, the Studio was designed to attract graphic designers, illustrators, and video editors. Despite its innovative design, the Surface Studio struggled to gain significant traction due to its steep price point, which started at $2,999 for the original model, and its reliance on hardware components that were frequently a generation behind current industry standards.

It was an iMac competitor in that it was all-in-one, but given the price and marketing focus it seems like more of a professional-level product like the Mac Studio. Apple has since discontinued its own large-screen all-in-one and refocused the iMac line toward the lower-end, e.g. 24-inch displays and less connectivity and RAM.

Stephen Hackett:

For years, Apple fans have looked at the Surface Studio longingly, wondering what a version of a tilting Mac desktop could look like.

I guess if Apple makes something like this it will be an iPad.